An Acrobat's Class
by yamaniprincessubu
Summary: What happens when during the Shang's training the pages start to ge injured and need more training, bu the Shang's can't provide it? The answer is a new class...
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plot and Ubu.

An Acrobat's Class

Chapter 1 The New Class

"I told you to flip in the air as the horse tosses you!" snapped the Shang Wildcat at a first year page. Eda Bell, shook her head as she went over the exercise for the fiftieth time. "The Shang horse, Hakuin Seastone, will toss you. In the air, you will flip as you land on the ground. If you just flop like Page Owen did, then you will break something or worse!"

Eda Bell was tired of the accidents that kept happening because none of the pages had the flexibility, or air sense to do the basic Shang drills. As the bell rang, she rubbed her aching head. Later that day, the two Shangs made their way to the castle to talk to the King, Jonathan, about an idea that Hakuin had come up with.  


They knocked on the door as they heard Jon say "Enter". He looked up from his desk as Alanna the lioness of Olau and Pirate's Swoop left. They could here her whisper "good luck" to them as she left. Jon was in a bad mood upon hearing that the Scanrans might be planning a war on Tortall. "Yes" he said a bit moody.

"If you haven't noticed, there are more and more accidents happening with the pages during our classes with them" the wildcat said. She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. The king nodded as the horse took over. "It is my idea that a new class is introduced. One that will teach the pages the skills they need to know that will help them with their Shang learning, and help with agility, and such" he said. 

The King thought about this for a moment before making a decision. "Fine, you find the teacher and arrange all the details and you may have your class. You may also inform the training master of my decision" he said as they left. Eda closed the office door and grinned evilly at her partner Hakuin. "I will find the teacher, and arrange the detail, you will inform Lord Wyldon of Cavall." she said laughing as they parted ways in the hall. 

Lower City Same Day

A young girl at the age of fifteen made her way into the capital city of Corus. "Wow, it's so big" she said as she slowed her horse down into a slow trot. Her name was Ubu. Ubu was here to seek a job. She was what they called an acrobat. Like the Shang boys and girls were recruited in their fiefs and towns to train and learn how to flip and twist on different pieces of equipment

Most of the time it was girls that became acrobats, but occasionally, a boy would come. If a child had a gift or was a noble, it made no difference, they were treated the same. As long as they were willing to learn to read and write, it was alright. Students that were taken often excelled in studies and after training was complete either stayed at the school to teach, traveled, or became scholars. 

All the students were close, they trained and lived together for years, so it was not uncommon for a noble to befriend a bunch of commoners. Ubu missed her friends, and her teachers, but knew it was her path to teach, and to travel, but where she did not yet know.

Eda Bell knew of these acrobats, but many others did not, for it was a secret. Knowing to what to look for, Eda made her way through the streets looking for an acrobat. "This could take a while" she said as she looked and only saw crowds of busy people. 

Three hours later about to give up, she eyed a Ubu showing off her handstands and amazing back flexibility next to the street jugglers trying to earn a few coins. Eda waited until the act was over before going up to the girl. "You are just who I was looking for" she said taking the puzzled girl by the land and explaining things to her as they made their way up to the palace.

Back to the Palace, Lord Wyldon's Office

The Shang Horse explained a few things before waiting for an outburst at how the teacher would most likely be a female and a commoner. Ten minutes later, and a pounding headache later, Seastone left the office and lipped a few words that sounded like revenge and wildcat. Lord Wyldon sat at his desk. If there was going to be a new teacher, he would have to test her. She would have to pass with flying colors, and prove she could be tough. 

The 5'5", hazel eyed, brown haired, acrobat made way through the palace. "It's so big!" she said as they walked through galleries of painting and passed many doors and wings until they arrived at the training masters office.

NOTES- That's it for chapter 1, if you like it please read and review. This is a completely new style of writing for me. I'm excited to write a fic about gymnastics and the Shangs : ) Anyways, please be nice any harsh flames should be e-mailed to me and not posted. This is my second fic so I hope you will be nice. And if you have any other ideas for my first fic "The Challenge" please e-mail me.


	2. Meetings

Disclaimer- I own nothing but the plot and Ubu

Notes: This chapter is kinna dry and boring, I'm running out of ideas, please read and review. I'm also looking for a beta. E-mail me if interested.

An Acrobat's Class

Chapter 2 Meetings

Ubu stood outside the door to the training master's office. On her way here she had been told her duties of teaching the pages so they would be able to excel in the physical classes. Already having ideas, she grinned evilly. The wildcat entered before her and talk to Lord Wyldon. "It's up to you" she said before pushing her through the door.

Ubu took a deep breath before bowing to the noble. In the hall, a few pages heard what was going on, they tried to eavesdrop, but found it incredibly difficult. "Hmmm.. What do we have here" said the magic teacher Numair Salamin. The boys dropped their smiles quickly and before he could do anything ran for their lives.

"Now what was I doing?" Numair asked himself. "Yes, I was going to go by flowers for Daine." he said Ten minutes later, she stepped out of the office. "That girl has guts." he said to himself. He tried to break her, but had no luck.

Later that night in the Mess hall

At dinner that night it was announced of the new class. Groans could be heard. "Just what we need, more work" Cleon of Keenan said as the ate his dinner. Kel having on her Yamani mask was emotion less. All she was heard saying was "Eat your vegetables!" Although she was annoyed along with the rest of the pages.

Servants Wing 

Ubu sat on her bed looking up at the ceiling. "Did all of this just happen?" she asked herself. "What am I doing here?" she asked as she fell asleep. 

Next day, Training Courts

Relaxed after a goodnight's sleep, Ubu was ready to tackle anything. "I can do this" she told herself. As the pages made their way out, they eyed her and instantly started talking. What was a girl their age doing teaching them! Most of them were taller than her, and outranked her.

Ubu hid a secret though. She played along the role of commoner well, she was a noble, but not from Tortall, from the close by country of Maren. No one knew, but it would be a bit thing later on. [it comes out later on ]. 

"Line up please" she said as they all entered. Some ignored her. "What she going to do, can us. Stupid Commoner. They have no business teaching us" Joren of Stone Mountain said. "Being smart..hehe.. I can handle this" she muttered. In a voice like the Queen's Riders sergeant she bellowed "I said line up!!!!!"

This got their attention quickly. "You are not here to play games, but to learn, you are going to do as I say and will not complain, or act like babies. You are training to be knights. I don't want to hear it" she said. Tying her hair back into a short ponytail she smiled. "My name is Ubu. I don't care for titles much."

"If you have any" Joren murmured in the back. Ubu eyed him and gave him a nasty look. "I hope you know I can hear you" she said. He rolled his eyes as she continued. "How do we know you can do anything?" asked a page is the back, they all started in agreement. "Trust me" she said grinning evilly. 

"Show us" said Joren. Ubu took this as a challenge. She took a breath and sighed. "First, you must promise me not to try any of this until I teach you." they nodded as music start to play. [Hehe, this is Cris. Agu.'s Impossible] 

Ubu started slowly moving around as the music started, doing what is known as a rande de jambe. As the first beat hit, she hit a triple pirouette and slid into a split that made some people wince. She showed amazing flexibility as she leaped and jumped in the air and tumbled a huge Roundoff back handspring layout double double and a whip to triple twist. (These are gymnastics passes, a double double is a double back flip in the straight position with a full twist in each flip, and a triple twist is a single back flip w/ 3 twists). Ubu stopped after those two and smiled. 

She had done her job at getting their attention. "Now pay attention and you might learn" she said. "Those are only a small portion of skills I can teach you". Twenty minutes later, she had gotten them warmed up and stretched until they started complaining of being sore. "It's called warm up, it helps you gain flexibility, don't complain" she said. When it was time to start, she introduced a forward roll and a cartwheel. 

"These are the building blocks for…" Ubu was cut off as she heard a THUMP! She sighed "I told you not to try skills you aren't ready for" she said. It was of course Vinson of the group Joren hung out with. "It's easy for you, you don't know injuries" he said.

Ubu snorted. "Don't get pert with me" she said. "I spent twelve years learning this stuff, I've had more broken bones than you'll ever have and thing's that don't heal. I have a bad knee and ankles now and you don't see me complaining!" she said.

Ubu knew she shouldn't punish him, but decided to anyway. "He deserves it" she told herself. "I want a written report on what you did wrong, why, and the history behind it by tomorrow from you". The bell rang and they were excused. "You'll get it later" Joren said as they left.


End file.
